Eating Vegetarian in Vegas

This blog will highlight some of my favorite vegetarian meals, chefs and restaurants in Las Vegas. But the menus are always changing. Our tastes might be different, or you could find a yourself stuck at a restaurant someone else picked, wondering what’s safe to eat. Vegas is not traditionally a vegetarian-friendly city, but it is getting much better. Here’s my quick guide to help you through vegetarian dining anywhere in Las Vegas.

A Guide to Vegetarian (And Vegan) Dining in Vegas

Read the menu. Don’t automatically assume there won’t be any vegetarian meals for you; more and more places offer vegetarian dishes on the main menu. Some even have a full alternative allergen menu.

Do your homework. Plan before you go and peruse menus online or call ahead to ask about vegetarian options and accommodations. If you’re going with a group, offer to plan and make reservations to ensure there is something for you to eat.

Talk to your server. Even if a dish sounds vegetarian, it’s best to double-check. I’ve been surprised once or twice and now always preface my order with “I’m a vegetarian. Please let me know if anything I’m ordering has meat or fish in it.” If a server doesn’t know, or seems confused, ask them to check. It’s easier than sending the meal back.

Make up a meal. It sounds like a pain in the butt, but most decent restaurants don’t mind. Find a dish that sounds good on the menu and ask them to remove the meat or substitute with tofu, extra veggies or something else.

Think outside the box. Don’t just look at the main courses; sometimes an appetizer portion is plenty. Or you can supplement with side dishes, such as roasted vegetables, that are often vegetarian and can easily be done with olive oil to keep vegan.

Trust the chef. If you’re not a picky eater, or you’re dining on a slower night, tell the chef what you like or don’t like and ask them to create a vegetarian or vegan meal just for you. It allows them to get creative and think off-menu, and there’s a good chance you’ll end up with the best dish at the whole table.

4 Responses to Eating Vegetarian in Vegas

Yippee. I am sure glad I came across your blog. My husband and I are both vegetarian and we will be coming to Vegas in May of next year. Your blog will cut down on my work to find good eats for us!
Thank you so much!

Such great thoughts on this website! My wife and I are going to vegas next month for our anniversary. She loves Asian and Italian. What are your top 3 Asian and top 3 Italian restaurants (not necessarily number of options, but instead from taste perspective)? We were going to do Tao but would like to feel out what you think. Thanks!!

Fun! You will have a blast. For Italian, my top picks are Scarpetta at The Cosmopolitan, Sinatra at Encore and Sirio at Aria. For Asian, Tao is still number one in my heart, but I would also suggest checking out Hakkasan, which just opened at MGM, or Nobu at Caesars Palace. Enjoy!